Combination Lighter and Cigarette Carrying Device

ABSTRACT

A combination lighter and cigarette carrying device for storing cigarettes and a lighter, along with other small personal items. The device includes a container having a base, one or more sidewalls and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. A lid removably covers the open upper end in order to prevent the contents from the container from falling out. The device further includes an ash compartment for disposing of ash and cigarettes, wherein the ash compartment is removably stored in the container. One or more pockets are disposed on the sidewalls of the container in order to store a lighter, credit cards, cash, and other small personal items. A clip is disposed on a sidewall of the container in order to removably secure the device to a garment, such as a belt.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/095,166 filed on Dec. 22, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cigarette carrying devices. More specifically, the present invention provides a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device comprising a container and one or more pockets secured thereto for storing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter therein, respectively. The device further comprises an ash compartment for disposing of the cigarette ash and butts.

Smokers often throw the ash from their cigarettes and the cigarette butt on the ground or out of a car window, potentially causing harm to the environment and creating a fire hazard. In some areas, it may be illegal to dispose of cigarette butts outdoors rather than in a trash receptacle. Finding a proper disposal area, especially in remote areas or on the road, can be exceptionally difficult.

Additionally, people who smoke often have to carry around a lighter or a matchbook in order to light the cigarette. Carrying around cigarettes, a lighter or matchbook, in addition to a wallet and other small personal items is burdensome due to having to store the items separately on one's person. Therefore, there exists a need in the prior art for a device that is able to store cigarettes, a lighter, and other small personal items therein, as well as receive the ash and butt of a cigarette for disposal.

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to cigarette carrying devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to combination lighters and cigarette holders, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,802,489 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,095.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. The devices in the prior art fail to provide a container having separate areas for receiving a pack of cigarettes, as well as an ash compartment. Further, the devices fail to include pockets on the exterior of a cigarette holding container for receiving a lighter and other small personal items, such as credit cards.

In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing cigarette carrying devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of combination lighter and cigarette carrying devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new combination lighter and cigarette carrying device wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when storing and smoking cigarettes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination lighter and cigarette carrying device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device comprising a container having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume, wherein the container is configured to receive a pack of cigarettes and an ash compartment therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device comprising a vertical divider positioned within the container in order to create separate areas for storing cigarettes and the ash compartment.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device comprising one or more pockets disposed on the sidewalls of the container for holding a lighter and other small personal items therein, wherein each pocket includes a front wall, a rear wall, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device comprising an ash compartment having a top member removably covering a housing, wherein the ash compartment is configured for holding ash and butts from a cigarette.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lighter and cigarette carrying device that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device.

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of the ash compartment.

FIG. 3B shows a perspective view of the ash compartment wherein the top member is separated from the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for storing cigarettes, a lighter, and other small personal items, as well as receiving ash and butts from a cigarette therein. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device. The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device 11 comprises a container 12 having a base 26, one or more upstanding sidewalls 13, and an open upper end 27, defining an interior volume. The container 12 is configured to receive a pack of cigarettes 61 and an ash compartment 19, wherein the ash compartment 19 is adapted to receive ash and butts from a cigarette. Preferably, the container 12 comprises a rectangular shape. However, in alternate embodiments, the container 12 can be any suitable shape so long as one or more cigarettes can fit therein. The open upper end 27 of the container 12 is removably covered by lid 15, wherein the lid 15 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the container 12. Preferably, the lid 15 is planar and configured to cover the open upper end 27 of the container 12. The lid 15 prevents objects stored within the container 12 from falling out of the container 12.

The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device 11 further comprises one or more pockets 16, 17 disposed on the exterior of the container 12, preferably on a sidewall 13 thereof. Each pocket 16, 17 comprises a front wall, a rear wall, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. In the illustrated embodiment, a first pocket 16 is configured to receive a lighter therein and is disposed on a lateral sidewall 13 of the container 12. A second pocket 17 is elongated and secured to a front wall of the container 12, wherein the second pocket 17 is configured to receive substantially flat objects therein, such as a credit card or cash. The upstanding sidewalls 13 of the container 12 serve as a rear wall for the first and second pockets 16, 17.

A vertical divider 18 is disposed in the container 12 and used to separate a pack of cigarettes 61 from the ash compartment 19. Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a side view of an embodiment of the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device. Preferably, the vertical divider 18 extends the length of the container 12 and is attached to opposing sidewalls thereof, wherein the vertical divider 18 comprises the same cross sectional shape as does the cross section of the container 12 in order to allow the vertical divider 18 to fit therein. Further, the vertical divider 18 comprises a planar surface in order to allow another planar surface to rest flush thereagainst, such as a surface of a cigarette pack. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical divider 18 is secured within the container 12 by any suitable fastener, however, in alternate embodiments, the vertical divider 18 is integral to the container 12. In this way, the vertical divider 18 creates a first compartment in which cigarettes can be stored, and a second compartment in which the ash compartment can be stored.

In the illustrated embodiment, the combination lighter and cigarette carrying device 11 comprises a clip 21 disposed on a rear wall 20 of the container 12 in order to removably secure the device 11 to a garment, such as a belt. The clip 21 comprises an L-shape having a first end 28 and a second end 29. The first end 28 is attached to the upper end of the rear wall 20, wherein the second end 29 is substantially perpendicular to the first end and extends downward therefrom. The second end 29 is free and parallel to the rear wall 20, configured to receive a garment therebetween.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, there is shown a perspective view of the ash compartment and a perspective view of the ash compartment wherein the top member is separated from the housing, respectively. The ash compartment 19 comprises a housing 25 having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. The housing 25 is adapted to receive ash and butts from a cigarette therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 25 is rectangular in shape. In other embodiments, the housing 25 can comprise any suitable shape as long as the container is able to receive the housing 25 therein.

The housing 25 is removably covered by a top member 24 having one or more sidewalls, an open lower end, and an open upper end so as to receive ash and butts from a cigarette therethrough. The top member 24 is adapted to be separated from the housing 25 in order to dispose of ash and butts of a cigarette contained within the housing. A covering 22 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the top member 24 in order to cover the open upper end thereof to prevent odor, ash, and butts from leaving the ash compartment 19. In the illustrated embodiment, top member 24 is maintained in a closed position via a locking mechanism, such as a push button 30. In some embodiments, the top member 24 comprises a recessed area at the upper end thereof in order to allow a user to conveniently grip and remove the ash compartment 19 from the container.

The top member 24 further comprises a gate 23 adjustably secured to the interior thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, in a resting position, the gate 23 extends perpendicularly inward from opposing sidewalls of the top member 24 and prevents any ash and cigarette butts disposed in the housing 25 to be removed therefrom. In this way, if the device is rotated downwards, a user is not exposed to the ash within the housing 25 when the covering 22 of the top member 24 is lifted in order to dispose of more ash or butts. In the illustrated embodiment, the gate 23 comprises a first side 31 separable from a second side 32, wherein each side 31, 32 is pivotally secured to an opposing sidewall of the top member 24. When the covering 22 is closed, the gate 23 is in the resting position and the edge of the first side 31 is flush against the edge of the second side 32, such that the gate 23 is not separated. When the covering 22 of the top member 24 is open, a user may push on the gate 23 to pivot the sides 31, 32 downward, thereby separating the sides 31, 32 and creating a space to receive the ash and cigarette butts therethrough.

In operation, a user places a pack of cigarettes within the container, on one side of the vertical divider and removes a cigarette as desired. A lighter can be conveniently accessed via a pocket disposed on the sidewall of the container in order to light the cigarette. As the user smokes his or her cigarette, the ash therefrom can be disposed of within the ash compartment. Once the cigarette is finished, the user places the cigarette butt within the ash compartment instead of littering on the side of a road or other inappropriate area. Further, credit cards and cash can be conveniently stored in a pocket as well. When a proper disposal area is available, such as a waste receptacle, the user empties the ash and cigarette butts therein. The device is removable attached to a user's garment in order to allow the lighter, cigarettes, ash compartment, and other personal items to remain accessible in a single location.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A combination lighter and cigarette carrying device, comprising: a container having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume; a vertical divider disposed in said container and configured to create a cigarette storage compartment and an ash compartment within said interior volume; an ash compartment removably positioned in said container. 2) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 1, further comprising a lid pivotally secured to an upper end of said container and configured to removably cover said open upper end thereof. 3) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 1, further comprising an L-shaped clip disposed on said exterior of said one or more sidewalls, wherein said clip is configured to removably secure said container to a garment. 4) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 1, further comprising one or more pockets disposed on an exterior of said one or more sidewalls of said container, wherein each of said one or more pockets comprise a front wall, a rear wall, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume; 5) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 4, wherein said one or more pockets comprise a first pocket and an elongated second pocket, wherein said first pocket is configured to receive a lighter therein and said second pocket is configured to receive a credit card therein. 6) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 1, wherein said ash compartment comprises a housing removably secured to a top member, wherein said housing is configured to receive ash and cigarette butts therein and said top member is configured to removably cover an open upper end of said housing in order to prevent said ash and cigarette butts from leaving said housing 7) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 6, wherein said housing of said ash compartment comprises a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. 8) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 6, wherein said top member of said ash compartment comprises an open lower end, an open upper end, one or more sidewalls, and a covering, wherein said covering removably covers said open upper end of said top member. 9) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 8, further comprising a gate extending perpendicularly inward from said one or more sidewalls of said top member, wherein said gate is pivotally secured thereto and movable downwards in order to allow ash to be placed into said housing. 10) The combination lighter and cigarette carrying device of claim 1, wherein said container and said vertical divider comprise a cross section having a rectangular shape. 